All four choreographers whose work was on the program were in the audience. Each one of them has contributed significantly to African-American-shaped modern dance. This was less Danco's usual rock 'em and sock 'em evening, and more a sophisticated overview of where they have been and where they are going. Nice.

Pacing started things off with a sinuous, undulating dance choreographed by Milton Myers to the music of Francis Bebey. Myers was resident choreographer at Philadanco for years. Danco dancers love to perform Myers' lyric, smooth flowing moves and it shows. Danco director Joan Myers Brown brought Myers onstage to thank him for his contributions to her company, including Pacing, now 20 years old.

Ronald K. Brown, currently just about the hottest thing going, contributed For Mother, using the music from "Go Up Moses." The moms Brown is honoring include Harriet Tubman and Joan Myers Brown, a lady who has opened up opportunities for black dancers all her life. Using the loose-limbed moves that suit Danco so well and exuberant Afro-Cuban rhythms, plus music from greats like Roberta Flack, the choreographer made something special for the crowd as well (For the Audience).

The big treat of the evening was Love Stories from the legendary Carmen de Lavallade, whose background as choreographer and dancer stretches across the whole history of African-American dance. Using wonderful Billie Holliday songs, the Danco ladies dreamt of love, and danced out everything they felt about men—from impatience and frustration to romantic imaginings. Between the songs, vignettes allowed the guys to give a bit of the man's point of view. Naturally, just when the ladies give up ("What's the Use"), the guys reach out to them and it all ends happily ("Hope Springs Eternal"). Sounds dopey in words, but was magic on stage. Beautiful and regal, de Lavallade joined the cast for the bows.

Christopher Huggins expects dancers to do fast, dangerous stuff where people are carried around on shoulders, draped around bodies, rolled on the floor and generally charged with doing the physically impossible. Naturally Danco had no trouble with this at all. Huggins' breathless world premiere was the perfect closer.

PHILADANCO May 18, Kimmel Center